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Eastern heavyweights clash in Cleveland as Cavs host MagicBasketball Betting Lines04/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A possible preview of the East finals is on tap this afternoon as the two top seeds in the conference, the Cavaliers and Magic, meet in Cleveland. The playoff intensity will likely have to wait, however. The Cavs have already clinched home court advantage throughout the playoffs and have been resting superstar LeBron James over their previous two contests, both losses. There is a good chance Cleveland coach Mike Brown sits James again this afternoon along with his point guard, Mo Williams. Forward Antawn Jamison, who is nursing a bruised right foot, is also questionable, while Brown made it clear that center Shaquille O'Neal, who has been sidelined since late February with a right thumb injury, is unlikely to return to the lineup today as rumored. Most recently, the Cavaliers fell on Friday when Danny Granger scored 13 of his game-high 36 points in the fourth quarter, as the Indiana Pacers pulled out a 116-113 victory to deal Cleveland only its fifth home loss of the season. J.J. Hickson had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Sebastian Telfair poured in a season-best 21 points off the bench, and Anthony Parker scored 17 for Cleveland, which had its 11-game home winning streak snapped to fall to 35-5 at Quicken Loans Arena this season. The Cavs dropped back-to-back games for the first time since a season-high three-game slide from February 18-21 and have lost three of the last four games overall. "I thought offensively we did some really, really good things. But, both nights (Thursday's loss to Chicago) defensively we just have not been quite gritty enough," said Brown. "I thought tonight Indiana got in the teeth of our defense too many times which caused us to help. Sometimes we were over- helping." The Magic, meanwhile, won their third straight on Friday when Vince Carter and Dwight Howard each poured in 25 points, as Orlando handled the New York Knicks, 118-103, at Amway Arena. Howard added 13 rebounds for his league-leading 61st double-double of the season, as the Magic won for the 17th time in 20 games. Ryan Anderson added 19 points, while J.J. Redick and Jameer Nelson had 15 and 13 points, respectively, in the win. "I think we executed," Carter said. "I mean, this is a challenge for us -- this is a team that shoots the ball around the perimeter like we do, and the challenge was good for us because it's a different look than most teams because they don't really play in the post as much." While Orlando has locked up the second seed in the East, the club is competing with the Los Angeles Lakers for the second best overall record going into the playoffs. The Magic, who came into the game tied with the Lakers, would lose the tiebreaker due to opposing conference record. Orlando topped Cleveland in six games during last year's Eastern Conference finals while the Cavs have taken two of the three meetings this season.
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Lincecum will attempt to build off an outstanding first start of the season when the San Francisco Giants ace makes his 2010 AT&T Park debut in this afternoon's finale of a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves.
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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter JohnsonJUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm. MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season . ''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.'' Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain. He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday. ''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.'' Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia. Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind. With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer. Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
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